A Year at Harvelle's
by SLPikachu
Summary: When Sarah Winchester was two years old, her and her mother were homeless and was found on the side of the road by Ellen Harvelle, who took them in. It wasn't long before Sarah found her way into their hearts, including Ash. Who knew, huh? A prelude to my main story, "Family is Where the Heart is."
1. Chapter 1

**_This was one of the stories I had deleted, but I rewrote it, the past week. I added to and made changes to what I had, originally wrote the first time, focusing more on Ash. This will help understand the next two episodes of "Family is Where the Heart is," especially "Dark Side of the Moon."_**

 ** _Warning: There is swearing and child abuse. Please don't read if that makes you uncomfortable._**

A Year at Harvelle's

Chapter 1

Ellen drove along the road, the A/C on full blast, as classic rock played on the radio. She was returning from the store, picking up supplies for the Roadhouse. It was a hot, summer day. No one would want to be walking out in the heat wave they were having. But, up ahead, she could see someone alongside the road. It made Ellen lift her head from where she held it against her hand she had, leaned on the car door.

Putting more on the gas, Ellen caught up to the person, seeing it was a young woman. She was walking, weakly, as if she had been walking for a long time. In her arms was a small child, no older than two.

Ellen pulled up, beside the young woman. Both of them were drenched in sweat. She came to a stop as Ellen, manually, rolled the window down. "Hey, you look like you could use a ride," she told the young woman.

"We'll be fine. Thank you," the young woman replied.

"It's over a hundred, out. Come on, get in. I have a Roadhouse not too far, up the road," Ellen pressed further, trying to convince her.

"I said, we'll be fine," she argued.

The little girl lifted her head, numbly. "Mommy, I'm thirsty." Ellen could see the child's face was, completely, red.

"We'll get something, soon, I promise, Sarah," the young woman assured her daughter.

"It could be sooner if you let me help you," Ellen told her.

The young woman continued walking.

Ellen pressed on the gas, a little, where she was driving right next to the young woman. "Listen, by the look of your daughter, she won't make it another mile. Let me help you. Get her in here and get some cool air on her."

The young woman sighed, heavily. She finally agreed. Ellen stopped so she could walk around the truck as Ellen reached over to open the passenger door. She opened it the rest of the way and sat the little girl on the seat, telling her to scoot over.

"Come over here, sweetie," Ellen told the little girl as she pulled herself, closer to her. Ellen switched the vents she had on her, to the child, making sure it was blowing on her, instead, using her hand to test it. She also rolled her window back up.

The young woman climbed in next to her daughter, shutting the door. Ellen helped the little girl with her seatbelt while she put her own on.

When both of them were situated, Ellen introduced herself. "I'm Ellen."

"Emily, and this is Sarah," the young woman answered.

"Sarah." Ellen gave the little girl a kind smile. "Pretty name you got there, Sarah."

Sarah shrugged. "I like this song," she said, weakly. She had her head, sideways, back against the seat. The radio was playing a Led Zeppelin song.

Ellen turned the volume up, a tad bit. She pulled back onto the road as she said, "Zeppelin fan, huh?"

Emily held her arm across the door. "Not sure how she's into classic rock. No one in my family listens to it. One day, I'm switching through the stations and Sarah tells me to stop when I land on a station playing this song. Since then, it's all she wants to listen to," she explained.

"What about her father?" Ellen asked. "Does he, or did he listen to classic rock? Maybe that's where she picked it up from."

Emily shook her head. "She never knew him. He left two week after we met. Said, him and his family had to move on."

Ellen looked between the road and Emily. "Was he a married man?"

"No, just loyal to his dad."

"Sounds like a friend of mine's son." Ellen looked ahead.

"I bet Daddy would come back if he knew about me," Sarah spoke up, full of childhood hope.

Ellen could hear Emily let out an annoyed sigh. "Shut up, Sarah," she told her daughter.

"He would," Sarah argued, back.

Emily snapped, "If you don't drop it, I'll spank you!"

Sarah dropped it, looking away.

Ellen shook her head. She was starting to feel some bad vibes from this young mother.

The Roadhouse appeared in view. Ellen turned towards it and parked on the side.

"This is your place?" Emily stared at it, in disgust.

Sarah removed her seatbelt. "Be nice, Mommy. Miss Ellen's helping us out," she scolded her mother.

Ellen smiled at what Sarah had told her mother. The kid looked two, but her vocabulary seemed advanced for her age. She could tell Sarah was a smart one. The three of them slid out of the truck.

Emily had Sarah walk in, herself.

"Jo, can I get two iced waters, please?" Ellen called out and asked a man behind the counter if he could bring in the groceries.

Sarah tried to climb up one of the bar stools, struggling.

"Need some help?" Ellen asked her.

Sarah stopped, to look up at the woman. "Yes, please," she replied and was lifted up onto the stool.

A young woman came out of the kitchen, holding two glasses of cold water, asking who they were for. Ellen introduced her to Sarah and her mother.

"This is my own daughter, Jo," she told them.

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Jo," Sarah said, politely.

"You can just call me, Jo, sweetheart," said Jo.

"Um, okay." Sarah looked over at her mother, for assurance.

Emily nodded.

She turned back to Jo. "Thank you for the water, Jo."

"You are very welcome." Jo gave her a smile.

Sarah tried to drink it down, fast until Ellen warned her, to drink it, slow or she was going to throw it back up. So, Sarah drank it, in sips, instead. Jo had went over to turn on a fan that was sitting on a shelf, behind the bar, making sure it was blowing on Emily and Sarah.

Ellen followed, lowering her voice to ask her daughter, "That girl look familiar to you?"

Jo looked back, looking at Sarah and her mother. "Who? The mom?"

"No, Sarah. Look at her. You don't think she reminds you of anyone?"

Jo looked Sarah over. Sarah had blond hair, tied back in a ponytail and freckles all across her face. Her eyes was even a green color. She shrugged. "Doesn't look like anyone I've met."

Ellen stared at Sarah. She swore she'd seen another child in close resemblance to Sarah. Finally, she asked them, "You guys hungry?"

Sarah lit up. "Yeah," she said. "Do you have bacon cheeseburgers?"

She couldn't help snicker at that. "You bet we do, sweetheart."

"Sarah, no," Emily shook her head, at her daughter, and told Ellen, "I don't have any money on me. Let us just finish our water and we will be on our way."

"It's on the house, actually," Ellen assured Emily. "If you need a job, we could use someone to wash dishes."

Emily eyed the older woman, suspiciously. "Why are you acting so generously?" she asked.

"Around here, we look out for folks in need. If anyone is in trouble, we will do our best to help them. Anyone who comes through that door, gets treated like family," she explained.

"Family is what we're running away from." Emily stared down at her half drank water.

"I'm sorry to hear that. You're welcome to stay here as long as you need. We have a spare room in the back. No rent for the first month, but after that, if you still want to stay here, I'm gonna have you, start pitching in with the bills of this place. Deal?"

"Sure. Thank you," Emily agreed.

For the next few weeks, Emily and Sarah stayed at the Roadhouse. Emily spent most of the time, in the back, washing the dishes. Now and then, if things were busy, like on Friday and Saturday nights, Jo would ask her to help wait tables.

Sarah ran around the Roadhouse, playing and talking to the customers. Her favorite was pestering Ash, the guy who usually worked the bar. Ash didn't like having a kid running around. Not at first, anyway. He learned to like Sarah more than Emily, at least. Emily had tried to flirt with him and Ash rejected her. Since then, Emily gave him the stink eye. He had come to see how Emily talked and treated her daughter, and how Emily would talk to Ellen and Jo. That was a turn-off in his book.

One day, during some down time, when there was hardly any customers, Ash decided to start a game of one, of pool. He was lining up his first shot when Sarah wandered over. She grabbed onto the edge of the pool table, trying to pull herself up.

"Can I play?" she asked him.

"You can barely see over the table, there," he said, glancing over at the little girl before looking back at the white ball.

Jo had overheard the conversation and grabbed a milk crate from beside the bar, bringing it over to set beside Sarah, up side down. "Here, you can stand on this, Sarah."

Sarah thanked her. She stepped onto the crate, now able to lean her hands on the edge.

Jo eyed the guy. "Play nice, Mullet Boy," she warned him.

Ash rolled his eyes as Jo walked away. He leaned the pool stick against the table and gathered the balls back, together, using the triangle. Ash explained the rules to Sarah, taking the first shot. Since one went in, he went again.

"How come you get to go again?" she asked.

"Because, I got one in one of the holes," he told her. "You go until you miss." Ash went for another two turns before Ellen wandered over, stopping behind Sarah.

"You watching Ash, sweetie?" she asked Sarah.

Sarah up, looking behind her. "He's teaching me to play. But, so far, Ash hasn't missed yet," she explained.

"Ash, are you going easy on her?"

"Why? That won't teach her anything?" Ash lined up his next shot. Just as he hit it, Ellen, suddenly made a coughing noise, making Ash mess it up. Ash glared at the woman as she snickered.

"Looks like it's Sarah's turn." Ellen asked for the pool stick, taking it from him. She then helped Sarah line up a good shot. Sarah hit the white ball, knocking one of her balls into the far, corner pocket.

"I did it, Miss Ellen!" Sarah said, happily.

"Yeah, great job, sweetie. Give me, five!" Sarah turned around to slap Ellen's hand with hers. Even Ash felt proud, but he wasn't about to show it.

Sarah wanted to hit the next one on her own. She hit the white ball into one of hers, but none of them went that time. Throughout the rest of the game, Sarah did pretty good for a two-year-old, but in the end, Ash won.

"Hey, kid," he told Sarah.

"Yeah, Ash?" Like Jo, Ash wouldn't let Sarah call him, Mister Ash. It sounded too weird, to the guy.

Ash held out his hand as Ellen had done. Sarah took the hint what he was getting at, and slapped his hand. "Good game, kid."

Jo had returned, with a camera, this time. She snapped a picture of Ash, Ellen, and Sarah, standing around the pool table. While she was winding the film, to the next one, Emily came out of the kitchen, heading for the bedrooms.

"Let's go, Sarah. Time for your nap," she called over to her daughter.

Sarah moaned like a kid would.

Emily grew firmer. "Let's go, Sarah Lynn."

"Can Miss Ellen tuck me in?" she asked.

"I said, let's go, Sarah Lynn. Do I need to spank you?"

A surprise to everyone, Ash spoke up. "Hey, lay off the kid! She asked a logical question," he told Emily off.

Emily glared at him and turned back to Sarah. "Now, Sarah Lynn!"

Ellen nudged Sarah, forward, trying to avoid trouble for the little girl. However, when Sarah was in range, Emily sent her towards their room, with a hard slap to her bottom. Sarah cried out, grabbing it. She cried all the way down the hallway.

Jo tried to make a move but Ellen stopped her own daughter, saying they couldn't interfere, no matter how much they hated it. Emily was Sarah's mother. They had turned back to Ash.

"Ash, where did that come from?" asked Jo.

Ash remained silent, tossing the pool stick onto the table.

"I think Sarah's growing on him," Ellen told her, grinning over at Ash.

Ash walked past them, heading for the bar. "No, I just don't like how that bitch treats her. Reminds me of when my old man would take a swing at me." That may have been true, but Ellen could see the kid really was growing on him. It was only a matter of time when Sarah wormed her way into the rest of his heart.


	2. Chapter 2

A Year at Harvelle's

Chapter 2

As the weeks turned into months, where ever Ash went, Sarah was close behind. At first, the guy found it, annoying. It was like having a pesky little sister around. But, after while, Ash became like a protective, older brother.

At first, he tried to shoo the kid away, but what kid ever listened?

Another day, during some down time, Ash was sitting on one of the couches, working on his laptop, taking it apart to replace a part.

Sarah wandered over, in curious mode. "What'cha doing, Ash?" she asked, leaning her small hands on the coffee table.

"Working," was all he said, as Ash removed the old part.

"You're not working. You're not at the bar, giving drinks to cus-toe-mers."

"I'm doing another kind of work," he explained. "Working doesn't just mean your job. Working just means you're doing something important."

"Oh. So, what im-por-tent work are you doing?"

Ash finally looked over at the kid. "You ask a lot of questions, you know that?"

Sarah grinned her crooked smile and giggled.

Ash just shook his head, turning back to his laptop.

After a few seconds, she asked, "Can I watch?"

"Might be boring for ya," he told her and shrugged, "but, sure."

Sarah moved around the coffee table, sitting on the couch, beside the guy. Ash was surprised how long the kid stayed and watched. She still bugged him with questions for the most part until Ash asked if she wanted learn a lesson. Sarah, happily, agreed. The rest of the time it took, he explained everything he was doing.

Ellen stood behind the bar, wiping it down. She smiled at the interaction. Never in a million years did she think she would see Ash interacting with a toddler. Guess it helped that Sarah wasn't your average, typical toddler.

Emily was sitting on the other side, on a stool, going over her own, personal budget.

"Sarah's a smartie," Ellen said, trying to start a conversation with her.

Emily did not look up. "Mm hm," she hummed.

"I never seen a two-year-old this talkative. Jo couldn't speak in complete sentences until the age of four. Sarah talks like she's five."

"It started back in June, when she turned two," Emily explained. "The pediatrician says it's rare, but Sarah may be a gifted child."

Ellen smiled over at Sarah. "I can, certainly, see that." She looked back at Emily. "Does giftedness run in your family?"

"Nope," she shook her head. "My sister's pretty smart, and I took advance classes in high school, but neither of us was talking that well at Sarah's age."

"What about her dad's side of the family? You know anything about his side?" Things got quiet. Ellen took the hint. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to pry, or anything. Just figured it had to come from his genes, you know."

"I only knew her father for two weeks, before him and his family left town. I never heard from him again. End of discussion." Emily stared at the floor on the other side of the bar, the whole time until she was finished, then she continued adding up the numbers.

Ellen did not want to push the woman, so she dropped it. Instead, she went back to wiping down the counter.

A man was sitting there, on the side, next to the corner. He was working on some research. When things were quiet, except for Ash telling Sarah what a ram was, he spoke. "My youngest was kind of similar to Sarah."

She looked up at him. "Sam was talking like a five-year-old?"

"Not that level, but he did learn, fast."

"Yeah, that boy's gifted for sure, especially keeping those grades up, all the way through twelve years of school," she nodded, in agreement. "And, getting into Stanford."

Hearing the word, Stanford, made Emily stop writing.

The man was the one to notice. "You okay, Miss?"

"I worked hard to get into that school." She was staring ahead. "I studied every single day in middle and high school."

The guy and Ellen exchanged looks between each other.

"I finally win a scholarship to go."

"Stanford's a tough school to get into," Ellen said. "So, what happened?"

Emily, slowly, looked over at the woman, before looking back, over her shoulder at Sarah. " _That_ happened. I was there, a year and a half before I had to drop out. My mother says she may have the pick of any college she wants." The bitterness in her voice made it seem like Emily was talking about the most popular girl in school. " _That child_ you all love is what ruined my life." Emily stood up, off her seat. She glared at Ellen. "If only you knew what she really was," she paused. "You'd probably think I was crazy." With that said, Emily stormed towards her bedroom, grabbing all of her stuff from the bar and taking it with her.

The man looked back, twisted around as he followed after her, with his eyes. He turned back around, "What the hell was that all about?"

Ellen shrugged, "I don't know. Hopefully, Sarah didn't hear any of that. Why do some people blame their failures on their children. They didn't ask to be here."

He shrugged. "I don't know." The man looked over at Sarah. "She, Emily, right? She said, if we knew what Sarah really was. Could Sarah be part..."

Ellen knew where he was going with this. "Shh! Keep your voice down. Emily and Sarah doesn't know about what's out there."

He looked, directly at Ellen. "They've been living here, among hunters that come through here. How have they not heard yet?"

"Emily spends most of the time, in the kitchen," she explained, keeping her voice down. "Sarah, she's a child. No one is gonna tell a child about monsters, and we keep her away from the assholes who would." Ellen looked over at Sarah, who was now being lifted into the air and, playfully, thrown down on the couch, which Ash then tickled her around her middle. "Well," she called over to them, "here's a sight I never seen of you before, Ash." Ellen and the guy laughed.

Ash noticed the audience and immediately stopped, standing up, straight. The young man tried to play it, cool. "No clue what you are talking about," he said.

Sarah jumped to her feet, on the couch and jumped onto Ash's waist, hanging on, laughing. It caught Ash, off guard, knocking some wind out of him.

"Oh, that's how it's gonna be." Ash grabbed Sarah by the waist, flipping her over, onto his shoulder.

"Okay! Okay! I give!" she cried out, laughing.

"You give?" he asked. "You never give in that, easy. You have to be tougher than that. Hold on as long as you can. You got that. Don't show someone you're weak, they'll take advantage of you." Ash flipped Sarah over, onto her feet. He started teaching her how to fight, pretending to throw her, punches. He showed her how to hold a good fist and how to knee someone if need be which ended up being a mistake.

Ash had gotten down, on his knees, to her level. When Sarah tried what he had showed her, telling her to put all her strength in it, Sarah's knee slammed into his groin. Ash was not expecting the impact she would make. He immediately grabbed where it hurt, freezing up, before falling over, in pain.

Ellen and the man at the bar hurried to Ash's side. "Ash, are you okay?" she asked of him.

"Yeah," he managed moan. "I'm good." Ash rolled on his back.

"I'm sorry, Ash. I didn't mean to hurt you," Sarah apologized, feeling guilty.

"It's cool. At least, you got it down," he assured her. "Damn, kid. Who's your old man?"

Ellen called for Jo to bring an ice pack out there, for Ash.

Jo hurried out, with an ice pack. "What happened?" she asked and handed it to her mother, who passed it to Ash. Ash grabbed it, and placed it against the area.

"Ash was teaching Sarah how to fight and she kneed him," Ellen explained.

Jo stared at her mother, in shock. She looked over at Ash. "Sarah did this to you?" She held her hand out, towards the little girl, "All right! Great job, kid!"

But, Sarah just shook her head, "No great job. I hurt Ash, badly." She, then went over, wrapping her arms around the young man's neck. "I'm really sorry, Ash." Tears were now falling from her eyes.

The commotion had brought Emily back out. "What's going on?" she asked. Emily noticed Ash on the floor, holding an ice pack. "What happened to you?"

Ellen explained what she told Jo, to Emily.

Emily was heated. "Sarah Lynn! Get your butt over here, right now!"

Sarah jumped to her feet. "I said I was sorry," she told her mother. "I didn't mean to hurt him, I swear."

"One...two..." The minute Emily started counting, Sarah motioned to move. That is, until Ash reached up, and grabbed her back, by her shirt. He was able to sit up.

"It's not the kid's fault. I told her to do it," he explained. "So, loosen up!"

"She knows better than that." Emily didn't seem like she was loosening up. "Let's go, Sarah Lynn."

"Ash, let her go," Ellen told him. She didn't want this, but what could she do. "She's Sarah's mother. We can't interfere."

"No." He turned to look over at Emily. "What does she know better? Huh?"

"To hit others, you moron," Emily told him, bitterly.

That got Ash to his feet. He made a move towards her, before Ellen and the other guy, grabbed him, holding Ash back. Ash struggled against him. "You're a fucking bitch, you know that?! I said, I told her to do it. _I gave_ her permission. What part of that don't you understand?"

"What gave you the right to teach _my_ daughter how to fight?" Emily demanded.

"I was teaching how to defend herself. It's not like I was teaching her how to pick fights!"

"So, if a kid steals her toy or her snack, you want her to kneel him in the balls? Is that it?" Emily stood there with her hands on her hip.

"I mean if someone was hurting her, first."

"Ash, enough," Ellen told him, still holding him, back. "Emily, we're sorry and it won't happen again."

"It better not." Emily turned back to her daughter. "Sarah Lynn, let's go."

Sarah looked up at Ellen, pitifully.

Ellen gave her a sorrowful look and motioned for Sarah to listen. So, Sarah walked over to her mother. When she was close enough, Emily shoved Sarah towards their room, popping her on the bottom. When they were gone and the door was closed, the other two let go of Ash.

A few moments later, they heard Sarah crying out and the sound of a belt hitting skin. Ellen had to grab a hold of Ash, again, which was more difficult, considering Sarah's cries were hurting her heart. Ellen's friend pulled Jo in, when he noticed how it was affecting her.

"Why are you letting that woman do that?" he demanded of Ellen.

"You think I want this?" she snapped back. "It's breaking my heart."

It finally stopped, but not Sarah's cries.

Later, that day, when Sarah was able to leave the room, she wandered along the hallway, sliding her shoulder along the wall. She noticed Ash's door open, ajar and went over to knock on it.

"Who's there?" he demanded.

"Me," she replied.

There was silence. Finally, after a moment, he told her, she could come in.

Sarah pushed the door, open, the rest of the way. Ash was sitting on his bed, his back up against the wall. In his hand, was a bottle of beer.

He looked at her. "You okay, kid?"

She nodded at the floor. "My butt still hurts."

"I'm sorry that happened to ya. It's my fault."

Sarah looked up at the guy. "It's okay, Ash."

"We still cool?"

She nodded.

Ash stared at the little girl, before calling her over, telling her to shut the door, behind her. Sarah did, walking over and climbed up, onto the bed, using the covers to pull herself up. She, then crawled over to Ash, standing on her legs.

"It hurts to sit," she told him.

"It's okay. Come here." Ash took hold of her hand, gently pulling Sarah to her feet and guiding her between his upturned knees. "Look at me," he looked Sarah, straight in the eye. "Don't ever let someone bully you like that. People like that shouldn't have kids. You are more than what that mom of yours, is. You got that?"

Sarah nodded.

"That ain't right what she did to you and if Ellen and them weren't holding me, it probably would have been my first time, slugging a girl. Which a guy should never do to a girl, but...I didn't want her doing that to you, for no reason. I really am sorry, kid."

Sarah dropped on Ash, hugging his neck, again, holding on, tight. This time, Ash wrapped an arm around her.

"You're a good kid," he muttered. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Ash fought back the tears, remaining his tough self.


	3. Chapter 3

A Year at Harvelle's

Chapter 3

A couple weeks after that incident, Sarah watched Ash kick a guy's butt at pool. He was down to his last shot. If Ash knocked this ball into one of the pockets, then the match would be over. He lined up the shot, carefully before hitting the white ball. It knocked into the ball, sending it in. Sarah cheered for him.

Right as Ash took the shot, Ellen came over, asking for a favor.

"Sure, what's up?" he asked, standing up, straight.

"The Roadhouse needs a few things from the store and I can't go, right at this moment. If I give you a list, can you go and pick them up?" she asked.

"Sure."

"Thanks, Ash." Ellen handed Ash a piece of paper.

Sarah jumped down from the arm of a chair she was sitting on. "Can I go with you, Ash? Please?"

Ash was folding up the list. Once it was folded, he slid it into his back pocket. "Sure, but you have to go ask your mom," he told her.

Sarah made a dash for the kitchen, where Emily was washing some pots and pans. "Mommy, can I, please, go to the store with Ash?"

"Why can't you stay here?" she asked, not looking up from the frying pan she was scrubbing.

"I want to go with Ash. Please, Mommy?" she pleaded.

"I don't trust that guy, Sarah. I rather you stay here."

"I trust him." Sarah grabbed onto her mother's pant leg, in both hands. "Please! Please! Please?"

Emily finally looked over at Sarah. "Sarah Lynn, that's enough. I already said no."

"But, I promise to be good," she tried to give her mother a puppy dog look.

Emily groaned up towards the ceiling. "Fine. You can go to the store with him." She looked back at her daughter. "But, you better behave. I do not want to hear, otherwise. Understand?"

Sarah nodded. "Thank you, Mommy." With that, she hurried back out to the common area. "She said, yes," she called to Ash as she ran back over to him.

"Well then, let's go, shrimp." Right as Sarah ran up to him, Ash lifted her up and over his head, setting Sarah on his shoulders. The minute Ellen seen it, she told them not to move, grabbing a camera from the shelf behind the bar. She returned, not long after, turning the thing on.

Sarah posed the same way Ash did, trying to copy him.

Ellen laughed. "You are too cute for words, Sarah," she told the little girl. She finally let them go, telling Ash to take the car, since Sarah's carseat was still in that one. He grabbed the keys from where they kept them and headed outside, where the car was parked on the side.

Ash opened the car door to the backseat, first. He lifted Sarah off his shoulders, into her seat. "Can you bucket yourself?" he asked.

"Yeah." She put her arms through the straps and hooked them, together, then attached them to the bottom part of the buckle.

"Alright." Ash closed her door and opened the driver's, sliding in, under the wheel. He put the key into the ignition and turned it, starting the car.

"Make sure you put your seatbelt on," Sarah reminded him. Only for Sarah, would Ash ever listen to that suggestion. He pulled his seatbelt down and fastened it, before turning around to pull onto the road.

On the way to the store, Ash and Sarah jammed out to the radio, singing along, out loud. Ash pulled up to the store and parked while Sarah's favorite song was on.

"Don't turn off the car, yet," she, quickly stopped him, as Ash had his hand on the key. "I want to finish the song."

Ash looked up at the mirror. "You've heard this a million times," he pointed out. Sarah gave the guy a puppy dog look. Not even Ash could resist. _Aw, hell. What is happening to me? I'm giving in to a runt?_ But, Ash kept the car running, anyways. When the song finally ended, he turned the car off and stepped out, closing his door before opening Sarah's.

She had the bottom part undone. "I can't do this part, Ash. Can you help me?"

Ash sighed under his breath and reached his head in, to undo the top buckle. He lifted Sarah into the air and set her back on his shoulders, shutting her door. They walked up to one of the entrances. Inside, they were greeted by a sales associate wearing a greeter's vest. She smiled as she offered a shopping cart.

Ash thanked her. He lifted Sarah down and set her inside the basket part of the cart.

"She looks just like you," she complimented.

Ash looked at her, confused. "What?" When it hit him what she implying, he told her, "Oh no, she's not mine. Sarah's just a friend. Her and her mom are staying with us."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she apologized. "I didn't mean to... Sarah's lucky to have you. Possibly the closest to a dad she'll have. You're a good man." The greeter offered Sarah a sticker, which Sarah took, thanking her.

Ash moved on, thanking her with a nod. Things started feeling awkward and he did not like it. Of course, that was only the beginning of the awkwardness. Once they had a few things Ellen had on the list, Ash, quickly, scanned the rest of the items. His eyes stopped on a particular one he was not excited for.

"No, no, no, no, no." He got out his cell phone, almost dropping it, and flipped it open.

"What's wrong?" Sarah asked him, sitting on the far side of the cart, facing him. Her hands were holding onto the sides.

Ash speed-dialed the Roadhouse and put the phone to his ear. "Come on," he mumbled.

Ellen picked up on the third ring. "Harvelle's. This is Ellen," she said into the phone.

"Ellen, there is a Code B," he said, trying to remain calm.

"A what? What's wrong? Is Sarah alright?" she asked, starting to panic, herself.

"Sarah's fine. I looked at the rest of your list," he explained.

"Okay?" Now, Ellen was confused.

"I, physically, cannot grab one of the items. I will have to abort that part of the mission."

Ellen figured out what Ash was referring to. "We're out for the girls' restroom and, trust me, we need to keep that stocked. Have Sarah help you. It won't kill you."

"I'm not so sure about that," he told her. 

"Ash, what did I just say?"

Ash stood up from where he was leaning on the cart handle, his tone changing. "Please don't make me do this, Ellen. I will scrub the entire floor of the Roadhouse, with my toothbrush. I remember to lift the lid. Shit, I will clean toilets after Chili Night. Just please don't make me do this!"

"Ash, quit being a baby and just get them. I bet a lot of girls will love you for it, if you do," she told him. Ellen knew just how to get through to him. Ash gave in, stating he would do it, before hanging up. He headed there, now, to get it over with. Problem was, Ash didn't know where the items were located.

"What are we looking for, Ash?" Sarah asked, after he looked down the seventh aisle.

Ash tried to remain cool.

There was another sales associate nearby. He mustered up the courage to go ask her. She noticed Ash looked a little lost, so she came over to them.

"Can I help you find something?"

"Um." Ash looked around, before looking back at the associate. "Can... Can you...um. I'm looking for...Female..." He ran a hand along his hair, before standing up, straight. Ash cleared his throat, "Can you tell me where the female..." He tried to ask it, with confidence, but still found the words wouldn't come.

The associate figured out what he was trying to ask her, anyway. She just smiled. "Aisle twelve," she told him.

Ash thanked her and continued on his way. He rubbed a hand down his face. When they finally found aisle twelve, Ash looked down the aisle. Why were there so many different kinds of these?

He looked at the list. Thankfully, Ellen had written down the brands and sizes. "Oh, God. The bathroom need that many?" Ash wished he could be anywhere else but there, at the moment.

Sarah jumped up. "I can help, Ash," she offered. "What are we looking for?"

Ash moved to the side of the cart. Anything to make this go faster. He lifted her out of the cart, and in a very low voice, told her, "See if you can find a box that says, heavy...tampons."

"What's a tampon?" she asked, curious.

"Ask your mother. Or Ellen. Or Jo," was all he told her. "But, stay in this aisle, where I can see you."

"Okay." Sarah started looking down the aisle, looking for them while he searched for pads. This was torture. If things weren't humiliating, enough, a few minutes later, Ash heard Sarah yell out, from down the aisle, "Is this it, Ash? It says, heavy flow tampons!"

Ash rubbed at his eyes, in one hand. He looked around to see if anyone was looking over in their direction before forcing a grin. "Good job, kid," he told her. "Grab as many as you can carry and bring them over here."

Sarah grabbed a few boxes and carried them over to where Ash was standing. He took them from her and tossed them into the cart.

"Now, what?" she asked.

"Light ones," he told her. Ash stopped her as Sarah was about to go look, again. "But, this time, try not to shout it out when you find them, okay? Just bring them over."

"Okay," she said. Sarah went looking for the light tampons, looking for the keyword on all the boxes. When she spotted one, she grabbed a few and brought them back. "Are these it?"

Ash had finished grabbing the pads and putting them in the cart. He took them from her and tossed them inside, as well. Ash also got a few extras than Ellen had intended, just so he wouldn't have to do this, again. _Remember, it's for the girls. It's for the girls._ Once they were done, Ash got out of there, as soon as possible.

Ash and Sarah got the rest of the things on the list, taking them up to the check-out. At the start of the check-out line, there was a cooler of drinks, and chocolate milk was one of them, which was Sarah's favorite drink.

"Ash, can I get a coco milk?" Even though she knew what it was called, Sarah liked calling it, "coco milk."

Ash was placing the items from the cart, onto the conveyor belt. He looked up. "You sure? I was gonna stop at McDonald's, for you."

Sarah looked from the cooler, to Ash. McDonald's sounded great, but so did chocolate milk.

"I think kid meals come with a drink, so if I get ya just a sandwich and fries, you can get the milk, if you want. You just won't have the toy," he suggested.

A toy did sound cool, but having McDonald's and chocolate milk, sounded cooler. "Okay," she agreed.

Ash went around the cart, to grab her a chocolate milk, taking it over with the rest of the stuff. Once everything was paid for and bagged back inside the cart, (Ash did some cringing as the cashier scanned the feminine products) they headed outside, to where Ash had parked.

He got Sarah inside, before placing the groceries into the trunk. On the way, back to the Roadhouse, Ash stopped at McDonald's, getting them both a late lunch.

Jo was just getting back, from school, when Ash pulled up to the Roadhouse. He helped Sarah out, so she could run over and hug her.

"Jo!" she called, happily as Sarah ran over to the young woman.

Jo scooped her up, letting Sarah hug her. "Hey, squirt!" she greeted. "Spending the day with Ash?"

Sarah nodded, "Yeah. By the way, what's a tampon?"

She was surprised to hear the little girl ask a question like that and looked over at Ash, who was walking by, with some of the groceries.

"Don't look at me. Talk to your mom about that. She made me, get'em," Ash told her.

Jo turned back to Sarah. "It's a grown-up, woman thing," was all she told her. "I'll tell you more when you get older and need them. Okay? Until then, don't worry about them."

"Okay, but whatever they are, they scared Ash. I never seen him like that," Sarah shook her head.

Jo couldn't help grin, at that. "Oh, they did, did they?" She was never going to let Ash live that down. Setting Sarah on her feet, the girls helped bring in the rest of the groceries.

Ellen was telling Ash, "See, told you it wasn't that bad."

Ash didn't say a word. He knew he would be in trouble if he said what he was thinking. Plus, Sarah was in earshot, too. Ellen let him eat with Sarah, while they put away the groceries, at least, since Ash went through a lot that day, anyway.

Emily came out from their room, catching her daughter, sitting at the bar, with Ash. She walked over to give Sarah a kiss on the cheek. "Really? You couldn't get her a happy meal?" she asked of Ash.

He shrugged, "She wanted chocolate milk, too, and kids' meals come with a drink."

"Then, you throw away the cup. The drink is, basically, free. Sarah can't finish all that food," Emily pointed out.

"Yes, I can," Sarah told her mother.

"No, you can't, Sarah Lynn. Do not argue with me. You are two years old," she argued right back.

"I'll prove it."

"Then, you're gonna be sick and you know how much I hate puke."

Ash was getting angry, once more. "Lay off the kid! If she gets sick, I'll clean it up." He didn't like barf, either, but Emily was pissing him off.

Emily glared at him. "Next time, if you're gonna buy my kid, food, don't. I knew I shouldn't have let her go." She, then stormed into the kitchen. 

Ellen called after her, "Emily, can you help put away the groceries?"

No answer.

"Emily!"

Still, nothing.

Ellen ended up going in there, and giving Emily an earful. Which caused Emily to storm from the kitchen, going back to her room. She tried to call her back, but Emily refused. The only reason Ellen hadn't fired her, yet, was because of Sarah.


	4. Chapter 4

A Year at Harvelle's

Chapter 4

As the days passed, Ellen and Emily started having more disagreements, mostly about the way Emily treats her daughter. Every little thing Sarah did, she either got yelled at or hit.

"Mom, I thought we weren't supposed to interfere," Jo reminded her mother of what she told her and Ash.

Ellen was pacing the floor, after another argument with Emily. She held a hand up to her mouth. "I know," she said, staring at nothing. "It's... It's just getting harder to just sit back and let it happen."

"Can't we do something?"

"If we get the 5-O involved, they'll take the kid away and put her in foster care," Ash told them.

"That may be the best thing for Sarah," said Ellen, staring at Ash.

Ash looked away, not saying anything.

"Hold on. Emily does love Sarah," Jo pointed out. "I've seen her give Sarah, kisses."

Ellen shrugged over at her daughter, "Don't mean nothing. Emily still beats her when she feels Sarah isn't doing like she wants her to."

Ash stared off into space. Out of nowhere, he blurted out, "Why don't the kid just live here with us?" The women stared over at the guy, surprised by his suggestion. Ash noticed them. He turned his head to look directly at them. "What?"

"What do you mean, Ash?" Ellen asked of him. "Are you saying, we should try and become Sarah's legal guardians?"

"Why not?" he shrugged. "We've already been doing it, these past few months."

"Emily would never agree to it," said Jo. "Like I said, she does love Sarah...I think. She already hates my mom. I don't think she'll go for my mom, asking for custody."

"I like that idea." All three heads turned in the direction of the voice. Sarah had come from her room, chewing on her lip. She wandered over to the group, picking up speed, halfway, running to Ellen. Ellen lifted the two-year-old up, into her arms. "I want you to be my mommy," she told her. "You're better at it. You only yell at Jo when she's not doing her homework."

Ash tried to snicker behind his hand, until Jo gave him a warning look. The snickering ceased, immediately.

"How long have you been listening, sweetheart?" Ellen asked of Sarah.

Sarah's eyes and head drooped. "I just came out. The first thing I heard was Ash's idea. I didn't mean to listening to what you were saying."

"It's okay. All is forgiven," she assured the little girl.

She looked back up. "Can you be my mommy?" she asked, hopeful.

"Aw, sweetheart, you have a mommy, already."

Sarah shook her head. "I know Mommy doesn't like me, very much."

"That's not true," Ellen tried to tell her.

"Why are you lying to her," Ash snapped.

"Ash!" Ellen snapped, back. "I am not lying to her."

"Well, Emily has a funny way of showing her love," he said, sarcastically.

"Sarah, your mom tells you she loves you, every now and then, right?" Jo asked.

Sarah looked back, over her shoulder. "Sometimes."

"See, your mom loves you," said Ellen.

Ash scoffed, looking off in another direction, again. "Words can mean nothing," he muttered.

Sarah looked over at Ash, and grabbed onto Ellen's neck, hiding her face in her collarbone. Ellen rubbed her side, up and down.

"Maybe we can try and talk to Emily, see what she says," Jo shrugged. "What's the worse she can say? No?"

Ellen looked from her own daughter, down at Sarah. She did wished her and Bill could have, had more children after Jo, and she did love Sarah as if she was her own. "Okay," she finally agreed. "We'll talk with her and see what Emily says."

The three of them sat Emily down and discussed what they had talked about, amongst themselves. Ellen had to remind Ash, to behave himself. When Emily heard they wanted to adopt Sarah, she was silent, at first.

"My mom would take good care of Sarah, we all would. She'll be loved for sure."

"But, we understand that you are her biological mother," Ellen also added, "and no one can replace that role. We don't want to force you to give her up, to us. We're just looking out for Sarah's best interest."

Emily remained silent. Finally, she told them that she would think on it and give them an answer after the holidays. With that said, Emily stood up and headed to their room, to check on Sarah.

A week before Christmas, Jo took Sarah, Christmas shopping. Sarah had been helping Ellen, and Jo out, that the women would give her some pocket change, that she saved. Ash slipped her a five or ten every time he felt Sarah was unfairly punished. After five months, Sarah had saved eighty-four dollars and forty-three cents. She would have had more, but Emily took it from her, telling Sarah they needed to save as much as possible, to go towards essentials. So, the next time Jo gave Sarah, a dollar, Sarah asked if she could keep it for her, in her room, instead.

Jo cleaned out a pickle jar her mother was throwing away, and taped a label, they made, with Sarah's name. She set it on a shelf, in her closet. "There. Now, whenever my mom or myself gives you any money, we can put it in here."

"Yeah," Sarah nodded, smiling, excitedly. "Thank you, Jo."

"You are very welcome," she smiled. Also, even though Jo never told Sarah, this, when she would get home from school, Jo would put the leftover change from her lunch, in the jar.

When Sarah told Jo, she was saving for Christmas, so she could buy everyone a present, Jo was impressed and thought that was so sweet. Even that young, Sarah thought of others more than herself and that is a trait, not many adults had. That Jo knew of, anyway.

They wandered around the mall, for several hours, grabbing lunch around one. Sarah spent the most time, trying to decide what to get Ellen and Ash, wanting to get them, something special. For her mother, she got her a little stuffed bear, wearing a bow tie, and for Jo, a necklace from Claire's. Jo had to look away when Sarah picked it out and paid for it.

After lunch, Ellen was the next person Sarah picked out for. Jo found a really nice picture frame.

"Hey, how about we both get this for my mom, and we can get our picture taken, together. Just the two of us, and we can put it in this," she suggested. "Would you want to? Or, you can get something from just you. Totally up to you."

Sarah thought on Jo's idea. "I like it. Let's do it."

"It's twenty dollars, so how about we throw in ten from each of us. How's that? Split the price in half."

"Okay," she agreed. After they paid for the picture frame, Sarah and Jo left the store. "Now, all that's left is Ash. But, I can't find anything for him."

"I'm sure we'll find something he might like," Jo assured her.

The girls walked around the mall, for a couple more hours. Nothing jumped out at Sarah, she wanted to give him. It was around five-thirty when they started to feel tired. Jo suggested they'll try another store, some other day. Sarah, reluctantly, agreed.

On the way out of the mall, they passed a vendor that was selling watches and jewelry. A particular sport watch caught her eye. It drew Sarah towards it, walking over and pressing her face against the glass.

The watch was silver, with a metal, link band. It told time both in digital and with a face and hands. There was even a symbol of an alien's head. It had two buttons on the left side of the watch and a turnable knob on the other side.

Jo joined Sarah, walking up behind her. "What did you find, Sarah?" she asked, curious.

Sarah looked up at her. "I found Ash's gift!" she exclaimed.

Jo knelt beside the little girl, to see what Sarah had been looking at. "You want to get Ash, that watch?"

She nodded, rapidedly.

"Let's see if you have enough, then." Jo stood up, taking the rest of the money Sarah had, out of her jeans pocket, counting it out on the glass. She had the exact price of the watch, left. "You won't be able to get a chocolate milk, on the way home."

"That's okay. Ash is more important. I can get coco milk another day."

Jo smiled, touched by what Sarah said. When the vendor was finished with another customer, he came over to them, offering help. Jo told him, they wanted the watch. He unlocked the back of the glass case, to take the watch out. "Are you sure this is what you want to give him," she double checked with Sarah.

Sarah nodded.

The vendor offered a gift-wrapping charge, which Jo offered to pay for. Sarah left the mall, a very happy girl and could not wait for Christmas morning, but not as a kid normally would be.

When Christmas morning did come, Sarah got everyone up, around seven. Emily was the only one that gave her trouble. Ash did, at first, but once he realized it was just Sarah, he stifled his annoyance.

Everyone met up, around the Christmas tree, they had decorated, the first week of December. Ash and Emily weren't apart of it, though. They stayed in their rooms, the entire time, uninterested. The other three had a great time, at least.

Sarah wanted everyone to open hers, first.

Emily opened her present, from Sarah. "Wow, a cute teddy bear. Thank you, Sar Bear," she smiled.

Sarah didn't like the nickname her mother called her, but didn't say anything.

Jo opened hers, next. "It's beautiful, Sarah," she hugged the little girl, not catching the frowned look they were getting from Emily.

Ellen was the next one to open hers.

"It's from both me and Jo," Sarah explained. "It was her idea."

"Oh, was it?" Ellen smiled. She ripped the wrapping paper off. She smiled at the framed picture of both Jo and Sarah. "Girls, I love it. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Sarah replied, with a big, humble smile.

"Love you, Mom." Jo leaned over to hug her mother. As they did, Sarah hurried over to where Ash was sitting, on the couch. "You have one, too, Ash."

"I do, huh?" he looked among his small pile, not expecting the kid to get him anything. It was probably like a gumball or something small like that. Ash found it, holding it up. It was bigger than a gumball, that was for sure. He ripped the paper off, tossing it onto the floor. He was surprised at what it was.

"It took the whole day to find it, and I found it just as we were leaving. Do you like it?"

Ash was speechless. He stared at the watch in his hand. "It's awesome, kid. Thanks." Ash couldn't believe a kid could afford something like that. "You picked and paid for this, all by yourself?"

She nodded. "You, Miss Ellen, and Jo helped when you gave me the money, for helping you." Suddenly, Sarah got grabbed in a strong hold, as Ash pulled her in. He hugged her for a long time.

Once Ash removed his new watch from it's case and fastened it onto his wrist, he never removed it for the next couple of weeks. Except to shower. Unfortunately, the watch wasn't water proof. Then, the day came.

He was talking with Sarah, in his room. Sarah lied next to him, on his bed, her head against him, as Ash hugged his pillow behind his head.

"Do you think Mommy will ever give Miss Ellen an answer?" she was asking him.

"Who knows, kid," he shrugged. Things were quiet for a while. That was when they heard commotion coming from the main area of the Roadhouse.

Sarah sat up. "That sounds like Papa," she said.

"Papa?"

"Yeah. Mommy's daddy." Sarah slid down from the bed and ran out of the room. "Papa!" She ran over to where Ellen and Jo were talking to an older man, his brown hair, starting to turn gray. He lifted her up, into his arms.

"Hello, Sar Bear. We missed you and your mom," he told her as she hugged him.

"I missed you, too." She lifted her head to look at him. "We met some friends. They are family, now."

Her grandfather shook his head, serious. "No, Sarah. They're not. Go get your shoes on. We're going to leave, soon."

"No! I don't want to leave! I want to stay here!" she cried out.

He set her down. "There is no discussion. Now, go, Sarah Lynn."

Sarah turned and ran over to where Ellen was standing, who lifted her up, and hugged Ellen around the neck. "Do something, Miss Ellen. I don't want to go."

Ellen was trying her best not to lose it, but it wasn't easy. "I know, sweetheart. I can't. It's your mom's choice. I didn't even know she called your grandfather."

At that moment, Emily came from the bedroom, carrying both hers and Sarah's duffel bag. "I'm all ready, Dad. Sarah, come get your shoes," she held out Sarah's tennis shoes.

"No!" she screamed out.

Even though, it was right in Ellen's ear, she did not say anything about it. Instead, she told Sarah, "I am so sorry. I wish you could stay, too, but you have to go."

"I want to stay with you, and Ash, and Jo. You're the best family I ever had," Sarah cried into her shoulder. Ellen caught her grandfather look up from the floor, over at Emily, his hands on his sides.

The man stepped towards them and grabbed a hold of Sarah, ripping her out of Ellen's arms. Sarah started trying to break free, to get back to Ellen. Tears were pouring down both sides of her face as she reached for Ellen. Ellen couldn't hold on and lost it, letting a tear fall.

Sarah ended up, popped on the bottom, telling her to knock it off, by her grandfather. He told Emily, "let's go," as he turned to leave.

Ellen wrapped an arm around Jo as they watched them take Sarah away. Her cries broke their hearts, crying for her.

"Good riddance," the women heard Ash say. He was standing where Emily had been. "I'm glad the bitch and the runt is gone." With that, Ash turned around and returned to his room, slamming the door shut. He stood there for a long time, letting his anger get the best of him.

Suddenly, Ash lashed out and shoved everything he had on his desk, onto the floor, including his laptop. But, he didn't stop there. Ash flipped over his desk and threw his chair across the room, before punching a hole in the wall.

He wasn't going to give in. Never in a million years! No way was Ash going to cry, period, much less over some kid. But, as he thought about the past year, his eyes looked down at his left arm, lifting it. As Ash stared at the watch, the emotions were getting stronger, causing him to knock over the lamp, on his beside table. Next thing he knew, he felt something wet fall from his eye.

Ash felt stupid for crying, having not done it since he was a kid while his father beat on him, with a switch. He could hear his old man call him, a crybaby and to man up, but he also could hear Sarah's laughter.

Ellen and Jo tried knocking and calling out to him, outside his door, but there was no way Ash was letting someone see him, cry. Not happening. He ended up, staying locked in his room for two days, refixing his laptop that broke when it hit the floor. When he did come out, Ash refused to talk about it, acting like he was glad they were gone. He never did, either. He wasn't gonna let anyone get that close as that little kid did. Not ever, again.


End file.
